Jr. Bulldogs pound Poyen

Quitman kept its 5-2A Conference title hopes alive by pounding Poyen 42-8 on the road Thursday night as quarterback Trey McGhee carried 13 times for 294 yards and three touchdowns, while backfield mates Michael Lewis and Eli Peck combined for three more scores.

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By Will Gilbert

The Sun-Times - Heber Springs, AR

By Will Gilbert

Posted Oct. 31, 2013 at 9:46 AM

By Will Gilbert
Posted Oct. 31, 2013 at 9:46 AM

Quitman

Quitman kept its 5-2A Conference title hopes alive by pounding Poyen 42-8 on the road Thursday night as quarterback Trey McGhee carried 13 times for 294 yards and three touchdowns, while backfield mates Michael Lewis and Eli Peck combined for three more scores. The Junior Bulldogs improved to 6-2 overall, including 5-1 in league play entering their final game on Thursday at home versus Mount Ida. Poyen's Junior Indians moved into Quitman territory on their first possession but stalled out when linebacker Nathan Henderson made a big tackle on fourth down. On Quitman's second offensive snap of the evening, McGhee faked a handoff a dashed around right end for a 60-yard touchdown. Henderson was stopped short on the conversion, leaving the Jr. Bulldogs' lead at 6-0 with 4:36 left in the opening quarter. The Jr. Bulldogs struck again on their next possession, covering 71 yards in six plays, starting with an 11-yard run by McGhee, who two plays later hit receiver Dyllan Locke sprinting down the right sideline for 44 yards into Jr. Indian territory. McGhee then connected with Henderson over left side for 30 yards, setting up a 4-yard touchdown run by Peck, who also scored on the conversion attempt, giving Quitman a 14-0 lead with 37 seconds left in the first quarter. Poyen's ensuing drive ended abruptly when Braxton Varvill pulled down an interception at the Quitman 45, where the Jr. Bulldogs struck quickly on a 55-yard touchdown run by McGhee. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the Jr. Bulldogs' lead at 20-0 with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter. With under two minutes left until halftime, Quitman scored again, this time covering 90 yards on two runs by McGhee, who started the drive with an 18-yard keeper. McGhee then kept on a read option around right end and raced 72 yards untouched to pay dirt. Peck powered across the goal-line on the two-point conversion, boosting Quitman's lead to 28-0 at halftime. Poyen's opening drive of the second half stalled out at the Quitman 20, where the Jr. Bulldogs would march 80 yards in nine plays for another score. Quitman's drive started with an 8-yard run by Peck, 9-yard run Henderson and 8-yard run by Lewis. McGhee passed to Kyler Kindle for 10 yards, then Lewis churned out six more on the ground before Henderson turned a screen pass into 13 yards, setting up first and goal. After McGhee kept for nine yards, Lewis capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run and McGhee found the end zone on the conversion, extending Quitman's lead to 36-0 with 2:08 left in the third quarter. With the mercy-rule in effect, Poyen drove 45 yards in five plays for its only touchdown, but Quitman would respond three plays later as McGhee ripped off a 30-yard run to the Poyen 22, where Peck added a 17-yard gain on the ground. On first and goal, Lewis scored from five yards out to set the final at 42-8. Quitman rolled up 443 yards of total offense, including 346 on the ground. Following McGhee's outstanding performance, Lewis ran four times for 20 yards and two touchdowns, while Peck carried three times for 24 yards and a touchdown. McGhee also completed 4 of 9 pass attempts for 97 yards. Defensive tackle Hunter Mooreland and Peck led Quitman with seven tackles and Lewis collected six stops. Quitman hosts Mount Ida Thursday with a chance to share the conference championship. Kickoff at 7 p.m. (Editor's note: Stats and information courtesy of Quitman Football Foundation's Dan Lichoff)